I Tried the Swopper for Two Weeks, and Here's What I Think

It can be tough to make an important purchase online, especially something like a desk chair or stool, that you'll be using for a good part of each workday. It can be frustrating to spend a decent amount of money on something you have high hopes for, only to discover it's not going to work out for you after all. If you've ever called to speak to us about our products, you know that we're on the level: we'll tell you what we like and don't like about a product, and whether it will work for you based on your specific needs. If you've been wondering about the Swopper, this is the blog post for you. I've been using it every day for a little over two weeks, and I think I've got a pretty good handle on the advantages and drawbacks.

For me, easily the best thing about the Swopper is the freedom of movement it gives you. You can lean left, right, forward, and back. You can rock side to side or front to back. Best of all, you can bounce. Ok, you might look just a little silly bouncing up and down in your chair, but trust me; after half a day you won't care anymore. If you've been stuck in a standard desk chair, you will really enjoy the flexibility and movement you get with the Swopper. Moving around not only keeps you more focused and alert, it helps combat the dangers of sitting disease.

Aother feature of the Swopper that I like is the way it strengthens your core. Because it's backless, it forces you to use your muscles and sit with good posture. Not everyone may find this to be a positive, though. I have always been a fan of good posture, and it's pretty comfortable for me to sit up nice and straight. If you're a sloucher, you may have a hard time getting used to sitting this way. Keep in mind that the Swopper does come with the option to add a back, so you could always choose that if you know you're going to want to lean back. Once you've strengthened your muscles a bit, you can remove it if you like.

I also appreciate that the manufacturers of the Swopper realize that people come in different shapes and sizes. You can easily adjust the Swopper for your own height and weight, up to 250 pounds. Setting the bounce resistance appropriately means you won't bottom out when moving, which could be jarring to your neck and back.

If you've been using an exercise ball as a chair with good results, the Swopper is the next logical step. It has all the benefits you've been enjoying in your exercise ball, with the added features of safety, height and resistance adjustments, and high quality build.

If you don't like sitting up straight, and if you have weak back and core muscles, you might find the Swopper difficult to use at first. A good way to test this out is by trying out an exercise ball, as mentioned above. If you don't like the exercise ball, you may not like the Swopper. At the same time, trying the Swopper is the perfect way to strengthen your back and core muscles, as they help us with balance and posture, aligning the spine, ribs, and pelvis.

One thing that some reviewers have noted about the Swopper is that the seat can feel a little hard at first, and I do have to agree. Again, if you're used to an exercise ball, you may have trouble adjusting to the firmness of the Swopper seat. The manufacturers (and Professor Ergo) advise that you work up slowly to all-day use. If you have a height-adjustable desk, like I do, this isn't as much of an issue, because you won't be sitting for the entire day and will instead switch from sitting to standing as your comfort dictates. You may also choose to go with the newest Swopper model, the Swopper Air, which has a plusher, softer sitting surface.

Finally, if you are self-conscious or work in an area where everyone can see you, you might be concerned about moving around and bouncing in front of all your coworkers. Of course that is not an issue here at Human Solution, but not everyone is as lucky as I am in terms of office environment. If it helps, we've heard from several customers who say that their coworkers are curious about their Swoppers and ask to borrow them pretty regularly. So those stares are probably due to jealousy; jealousy of your sweet, bouncy chair!

Feel free to call and ask for me if you'd like any more info on my Swopper experience. I've tried several of our chairs and stools, and I have to say, this is one of my favorites. I'm going to continue using it until someone comes along and steals it from me.

Visit us at TheHumanSolution.com for all kinds of innovative ways to stay healthy and comfy at work.

Related Reads:

• The Swopper Versus a Balance Ball: Don’t Roll. Bounce!
• Introducing the Swopper Air